[TheForge] TIG welding

Sat Jan 25 08:27:01 2003

Well, thanks for the info, guys. I can't really afford (or justify) even a
cheap HF set at the moment, so given your comments about the scratch start
being harder to learn I shall just save up until I can afford one (if ever!)

Until then, maybe I'll try putting some aluminium wire in my MIG, and maybe
buy some new grinding discs!

Rich.

----- Original Message -----
From: "RIES NIEMI" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 9:51 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] TIG welding

> on 1/24/03 1:17 PM, Rich Maynard at [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Just to briefly introduce myself - I'm a UK teacher, who does a bit of
> > metalwork manufacturing and design in my spare time.
> >
> > I have a 250 amp MIG welder that uses Argoshield as a shield gas at the
> > moment, and access to a gas welding setup as well. However, I can't help
> > feeling that TIG welding might produce neater results and make for less
> > grinding afterwards, as well as offering the option to weld aluminium as
well.
> I do a lot of tig welding, and its true, you need HF to weld aluminum.
There
> are times when I have been running two machines at once, or in the field,
> when I use a scratch start torch, DC on steel or stainless. A scratch
start
> torch will work, but it is trickier to master. The three of us in my shop
> are all really good tig welders, and we still gripe and moan when we have
to
> use the scratch start- it just isnt easy to learn.
> If you save up, and get the whole big enchilada tig package- High
Frequency,
> water cooled torch, radiator and foot pedal- You will be a lot happier in
> the long run. Tig welding can be such a pleasure to do, and give such
clean,
> satisfying results, with the right machine. Plus you can weld pretty much
> any metal, many of them to each other- we were just welding silicon bronze
> to stainless steel, works great, looks beautiful.
> I would second steve's recomendation of the new inverter power sources. I
> have one we use for mig, stick and scratch start tig, and it gives
> noticeably better welds in all three than the older machines do. They are
> really pricey though. I bought a rental unit from the welding supply
store,
> so it was cheaper. All of our stateside advice about brands is pretty much
> irrelevant in the uk though- you have a whole other set of brands and
> choices over there.
> Ries
>
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